Ottawa is a city full of life. There is plenty of culture, history, and great food, but most of all; we can see fashionable people wherever we go. People in Ottawa aren’t as outgoing when it comes to their personal style, like in other cities such as Montreal. However, there is a good ground base of fashion that’s just waiting to be exposed. Third year students Anita-Hosanna Kangabe and Mariam Sarr saw this potential and decided to create the first fashion club at uOttawa. I had a quick chat with the girls about the club.
HC: Why did you want to start a fashion club?
M: Anita and I are huge fashion fans. We love the versatility that it gives us, and we enjoy seeing people express themselves with their personal style. We wanted to create a space that will allow fashion oriented people, or people that want to get more into fashion, to interact with each other.
A-H: Exactly, we want to be more than a group where people can just meet and talk about fashion, we want our club to be a space that will allow people to express themselves whichever way they choose without worrying about being judged. We want to bring fashion awareness and allow students to be more in touch with their style. To us, fashion is not only about expensive brands, but also about being open minded and respect the fact that everybody has their own thing going on. It’s about experimenting, and mostly not caring about what people are going to say about the way you decide to express yourself through your outfit.
HC: How is the club planning to get people more open minded about fashion?
A-H: We want to introduce the students of uOttawa to different types of styles, in the hopes that in each one they’ll find something that they like. We want them to get inspired and be less afraid of getting out of their comfort zone.
M: Through the events we’re going to plan all year long, we want our fellow students to not be afraid of standing out anymore. While I think that it’s a process that everyone go through differently, I hope we will be the instigators of it.
HC: What are some events that the club is planning?
A-H: We’re planning to have several workshops this year, that all revolve around fashion.
M: We’re also planning DIY events, clothing swap events, a wine and cheese meet and greet event where the club will be formally introduced to its members… and a lot more!
A-H: The main problem we have is the lack of time. We want to do so much, but have so little time. I am lucky to have an amazingly reliable and committed team, but we first and foremost are students, and some of us are also working. I’m really thankful that everybody still takes some time off to work on this project despite the fact that we all have others things going on.
HC: How big is the team?
A-H: As of now, there are 9 executive members and one volunteer member who helps out with various aspects of the club.
HC: How did you find the rest of your members?
A-H: It was a rather simple process. All I had to do was post on different Facebook groups, simply saying that I was looking for people to create a fashion club, and I received a flock of messages. I picked seven girls after “stalking” them on Facebook (laughs).
HC: Are you looking for new members?
M: Yes! We always are. If you have an interest in any aspect of fashion, whether it is styling, creation, makeup, photography, or more, have an open mind and love working with people, you’re more than welcome to join us.
A: We want it to be as diverse and big as possible. We know it’s going to take some time and a lot of hard work, but we’re all ready to give our best. It will only be possible if we have a lot of people working toward the same goals.
HC: How can students keep in touch with you?
M: We have a Facebook page that they can use to contact us and to find out about the events that we are planning. We also have a Tumblr and will soon open our Instagram account. They can also send us emails.
HC: Finally, what advice do you have for all the fashion lovers out there?
M: Nowadays it’s hard to be 100% original, but do your research and find the thing that makes you unique. Don’t be afraid to put your twist on things and own your look.
If you think you’ve got what it takes to be in uOttawa’s First Fashion Club send them an email at: fashionuottawamode@gmail.com.
You can also like them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/fashionbyuottawa?ref=hl or follow them on Tumblr: http://fashionbyuottawa.tumblr.com/